Helen

Reading notes

• The Loves §1.10 two husbands

  Helen, wife of Menelaus and then of Paris, 'the cause of war for two husbands.'

• The Art of Love §1.2 the Greek girl

  Helen of Sparta, seized by the Trojan prince Paris, the cause of the Trojan War.

• The Art of Love §2.17 Helen

  Wife of Menelaus, taken to her guest Paris's bed while her husband was away.

• The Heroides §5 a Mycenaean hand

  A jab at Helen, the Greek (Mycenaean) wife now at Paris's side; the letter, by contrast, is Oenone's own.

• The Heroides §5 Helen

  The most beautiful woman in the world, wife of Menelaus, carried off by Paris — the 'Greek heifer' who supplants Oenone and dooms Troy.

• The Heroides §5 the daughter of Tyndareus

  Helen, reputed daughter of Tyndareus of Sparta; reclaimed by the Greeks with war.

• The Heroides §5 a Spartan

  Helen of Sparta; Oenone warns Paris not to trust a woman so quickly unfaithful.

• The Heroides §5 A Greek heifer

  Cassandra's contemptuous figure for Helen, the Greek woman whose coming will destroy Troy.

• The Heroides §8 Helen

  Hermione's mother, the most beautiful of women, whom the child Hermione knew by her beauty alone.

• The Heroides §13 the Taenarian wife

  Helen of Laconia (Taenarus), whose beauty Paris preferred; Laodamia wishes the match had never pleased either.

• The Heroides §13 Ledaean sister of the twins

  Helen, daughter of Leda and sister of Castor and Pollux, whose beauty Laodamia thinks could conquer any man.

• The Heroides §16 daughter of Leda

  Helen of Sparta, wife of Menelaus and daughter of Leda by Jupiter; the most beautiful of women and the addressee.

• The Heroides §16 daughter of Tyndareus

  Helen, reputed daughter of Tyndareus of Sparta; addressed as the object of Paris's marriage-hope.

• The Heroides §16 nymph of Oebalus

  Helen, of the Spartan house of Oebalus; Paris's address to her.

• The Heroides §16 Helen

  Addressed directly: bidden not to scorn a fated love.

• The Heroides §17 Tyndareus's daughter

  Helen herself, the prize Venus promised Paris.

• The Heroides §17 Helen

  The speaker, weighing whether to yield; she is the 'goods' Paris chose over kingdom and valor.

• Metamorphoses §13.393 Helen

  Wife of Menelaus, carried off by Paris.

• Metamorphoses §15.481 Helen, too

  Helen of Troy (Tyndaris), weeping at her aged face in the mirror.

• The Cure for Love §2 Helen

  Wife of Menelaus, carried off by Paris to Troy; the most beautiful woman of myth.

• The Cure for Love §14 the Oebalian rival

  Helen, called Oebalian after the Spartan king Oebalus; the rival who wronged Oenone.